A Tale of Elves (Microgaming) – Review & Demo Play

A Tale of Elves - Slot Overview

Aurum Signature Studios serves up a cartoon-style Christmas slot that hides a hardcore math model beneath the cosy tinsel. A Tale of Elves runs on 5 reels with 243 ways and shifts from a snow-covered forest to the elves’ workshop when free spins land. The smiling Santa scatter pops up often enough to keep things jolly, while stacked wilds can link lines for chunky pays. It’s all very seasonal, yet the mechanics lean classic and focused rather than flashy.

A Tale of Elves - Slot Overview (bets and model)

Bets range from 30p to £12 per spin, which is narrow but workable for careful session planning. RTP sits at 95.07% and volatility is very high, so I treat this as a bonus-hunting grind where patience pays. The base game can drag, yet the Random Cash Prize helps chop up the monotony. When the bonus picks up, stacked elves plus multipliers change the mood entirely, and the game’s headline figure of up to 20,166x confirms the ceiling is no joke.

Symbols and Paytable in A Tale of Elves

Low pays are sugar-frosted J to A royals, while the four high pays are friendly elves dressed in blue, green, orange, and yellow. The wild is a Christmas wreath that substitutes and outvalues the premiums when you line up five. Santa is the scatter, and he’s the key to both a random payout in the base game and the all-important free spins. Stacked elves are central to how the bonus scales, as their height ties directly to the option you pick.

A Tale of Elves Symbols and Paytable

Symbol	Quantity	Payout
	Scatter
	5	x600
	4	x60
	3	x3
	Wild
	5	x50
	4	x10
	3	x5
	5	x25
	4	x8
	3	x3
	5	x20
	4	x6
	3	x2
	5	x17.5
	4	x5
	3	x1.5
	5	x15
	4	x4
	3	x1
	5	x6
	4	x1.5
	3	x0.3
	5	x6
	4	x1.5
	3	x0.3
	5	x4
	4	x1
	3	x0.2
	5	x4
	4	x1
	3	x0.2

A Tale of Elves symbols and payouts

Five royals pay roughly 1.33x to 2x your stake, and five-of-a-kind elves land 5x to 8.33x. A full line of wild wreaths pays double the top premium at 16.66x, which is handy when stacks align across reels. Land two Santas anywhere and you get a Random Cash Prize up to 50x; three or more scatters add a cash award of 1x, 20x, or 200x before you choose your free spins mode. The numerical profile is clear and transparent.

Bonus Features in A Tale of Elves

Santa is central. Two scatters in view trigger a Random Cash Prize up to 50x, arriving on average once every 19 spins. It’s a quick, base-game top-up that breaks up dry spells and remains active during the free spins round too. The big show is the bonus, triggered by at least three scatters. The hit rate is lean, yet the swing in momentum when it arrives is palpable, especially when stacks of wilds join the party.

A Tale of Elves free spins options

Three, four, or five scatters award 1x, 20x, or 200x cash, then you pick one of four modes tied to an elf. Blue gives 18 spins at x2 with 6-high Blue stacks. Green gives 14 spins at x3 with 5-high Green stacks. Orange gives 10 spins at x4 with 4-high Orange stacks. Yellow gives 8 spins at x5 with 3-high Yellow stacks. It’s the classic trade-off between volume and punch, with each mode shaping volatility.

Retriggers and pacing in A Tale of Elves

Free spins retrigger with three scatters and re-add the same mode you picked, keeping the volatility profile locked. The feature triggers around every 209 spins on average, so I budget for spells between bonuses. The best moments come when stacked elves connect with wild stacks under a high multiplier. That’s where the eyebrow-raising results happen and where the dream cap sits, theoretically reached by landing a full screen of yellow elves or wilds twice during the same bonus.

Bets, RTP & Volatility in A Tale of Elves

You’re playing 30 credits for 243 ways per spin, with stakes from 30p to £12. Default RTP is 95.07% and the slot is very highly volatile, so swings are steep and sessions can run cold before they spark. Hit frequency is roughly 1 in 4, with those random Santa prizes smoothing patches in the base game. The stated max win is 20,166x, aligned to the high-multiplier options where stacked premiums and wilds fill reels under pressure.

The 200 Spins A Tale of Elves Experience

I had a big win early when a bunch of wild stacks landed across the middle reels, cutting a dent through a dry stretch. Not long after, I triggered the feature and went for the riskier Yellow Elf pick for eight spins at x5. It was a lively round with stacked yellows showing up often enough to tease screens, though the retrigger didn’t land. The take-home matches the reviews I’ve read – base grind, then a proper burst of heat.

Graphics & Sound in A Tale of Elves

Visuals lean into the yuletide spirit, from frosted windows and cheerful icons to nicely animated elves that stack and snap into place. It looks crisp on mobile, and the smiling Santa scatter has real presence as he flashes up those cash awards. The soundtrack keeps it warm and pleasant with bells and soft seasonal motifs that sit well behind longer grinds. It’s “cutsie” on the surface, but the presentation never gets in the way of the serious maths.

A Tale of Elves - Slot Verdict

A Tale of Elves feels like classic studio work wrapped in seasonal paper. The biggest drawback is the 95.07% RTP, yet the four-option bonus wheelhouse carries real weight, and the Random Cash Prize helps with bankroll rhythm. I like how the stack heights and multipliers reshape risk each pick, and how retriggers lock your choice so the profile stays consistent through the round. When the reels run hot, this can put up totals that matter.

Final take on A Tale of Elves

It’s not a feature flood, and the base game can feel monotone between payouts, but the frequency of two-scatter prizes improves the ride. I rate it as a solid seasonal slot for those who enjoy high volatility and a clean bonus structure that’s easy to parse. Pick your elf to suit your mood – Blue for longevity, Yellow for bite – and grind toward the feature. If you want straightforward Christmas action with proper upside, this ticks the box.